Relations between Structure, Activity and Stability in C3N4 Based Photocatalysts Used for Solar Hydrogen Production

AgIn5S8/g-C3N4 Composite Photocatalyst Coupled with Low-Temperature Plasma-Enhanced Degradation of Hydroxypropyl-Guar-Simulated Oilfield Wastewater

The effective treatment and recovery of fracturing wastewater has always been one of the difficult problems to be solved in oilfield wastewater treatment. Accordingly, in this paper, photocatalytic-coupled low-temperature plasma technology was used to degrade the simulated wastewater containing hydroxypropyl guar, the main component of fracturing fluid. Results indicated that hydroxypropyl-guar wastewater could be degraded to a certain extent by either photocatalytic technology or plasma technology; the chemical oxygen demand and viscosity of the treated wastewater under two single-technique optimal conditions were 781 mg·L-1, 0.79 mPa·s-1 and 1296 mg·L-1, 1.01 mPa·s-1, respectively. Furthermore, the effective coupling of AgIn5S8/gC3N4 photocatalysis and dielectric-barrier discharge-low-temperature plasma not only enhanced the degradation degree of hydroxypropyl guar but also improved its degradation efficiency. Under the optimal conditions of coupling treatment, the hydroxypropyl-guar wastewater achieved the effect of a single treatment within 6 min, and the chemical oxygen demand and viscosity of the treated wastewater reduced to below 490 mg·L-1 and 0.65 mPa·s-1, respectively. In the process of coupled treatment, the AgIn5S8/gC3N4 could directly absorb the light and strong electric field generated by the system discharge and play an important role in the photocatalytic degradation, thus effectively improving the energy utilization rate of the discharge system and enhancing the degradation efficiency of hydroxypropyl guar.

Characterizing photocatalysts for water splitting: from atoms to bulk and from slow to ultrafast processes

This review provides a comprehensive overview on characterisation techniques for light-driven redox-catalysts highlighting spectroscopic, microscopic, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical approaches.

Donor-acceptor covalent organic frameworks for visible light induced free radical polymerization

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising materials for applications in photocatalysis, due to their conjugated, porous and chemically stable architectures. Alternating electron donor-acceptor-type structures are known to enhance charge carrier transport mobility and stability in polymers and are therefore also interesting building units for COFs used as photocatalysts but also as photoinitiator. In this work, two donor-acceptor COFs using electron deficient 4,4',4''-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)trianiline and electron rich thiophene-based thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-2,5-dicarbaldehyde or [2,2'-bithiophene]-5,5'-dicarbaldehyde linkers are presented. The resulting crystalline and porous COFs have been applied as photoinitiator for visible light induced free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) to poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA). These results pave the way to the development of robust and heterogeneous systems for photochemistry that offers the transfer of radicals induced by visible light.

Influence of MoS2 on Activity and Stability of Carbon Nitride in Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

MoS2/C3N4 (MS-CN) composite photocatalysts have been synthesized by three different methods, i.e., in situ-photodeposition, sonochemical, and thermal decomposition. The crystal structure, optical properties, chemical composition, microstructure, and electron transfer properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroyscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron microscopy, photoluminescence, and in situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. During photodeposition, the 2H MoS2 phase was formed upon reduction of [MoS4]2− by photogenerated conduction band electrons and then deposited on the surface of CN. A thin crystalline layer of 2H MoS2 formed an intimate interfacial contact with CN that favors charge separation and enhances the photocatalytic activity. The 2H MS-CN phase showed the highest photocatalytic H2 evolution rate (2342 μmol h−1 g−1, 25 mg catalyst/reaction) under UV-vis light irradiation in the presence of lactic acid as sacrificial reagent and Pt as cocatalyst.